Sedum plant named ‘Nonef’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Sedum  plant, ‘Nonef’ that is characterized by its foliage that emerges green in color suffused with grayed purple towards apex becoming green with grayed-purple margins when mature, its flowers buds that are grayish green and pink in color opening to pink flowers in summer and its dense, low growing plant habit.

Botanical classification: Sedum spurium.

Variety denomination: ‘Nonef’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applications by the same Inventor and pertain to plants derived from the same parentage, the Applications are entitled Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonov’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,465), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonob’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,436), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonol’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,411), Sedum Plant Named ‘Noned’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,478), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonog’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,437), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonio’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,450), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonet’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,479), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonia’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,438), and Sedum Plant Named ‘Noner’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,492).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant, botanically known as Sedum spurium ‘Nonef’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Nonef’. The new cultivar of Sedum is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape and container plant and is particularly suitable as a groundcover.

‘Nonef’ was discovered in March of 2005 as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation at the Inventor's nursery in Nunica, Mich. as a single unique plant in a containerized block of 100,000 seedlings of Sedum spurium ‘Voo Doo’ (not patented).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in Nunica, Mich. in June of 2007. Propagation by cuttings and crown division has determined the characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Nonef’ as a unique cultivar of Sedum.

-   -   1. ‘Nonef’ exhibits foliage that is green in color and suffused         with grayed-purple towards apex when young and becoming green         with grayed-purple margins when mature.     -   2. ‘Nonef’ exhibits flower buds that are grayish green and pink         in color.     -   3. ‘Nonef’ exhibits flat-topped, rounded inflorescences with         flowers that are pink in color and present in early summer.     -   4. ‘Nonef’ exhibits a dense, low growing habit with foliage that         reaches about 4 inches in height.

The parent plant, ‘Voo Doo’, differs from ‘Nonef’ in having foliage that is maroon and green-tinged in color and in having pinkish purple flowers. ‘Nonef’ can be compared to other cultivars of Sedum spurium (all are un-patented) which differs from ‘Nonef’ in the following characteristics; ‘Album Superbum’ differs in having green leaves and white flowers, ‘Bronze Carpet’ differs in having variable green/maroon leaves and deep pink flowers, ‘Coccineum’ differs in having green leaves that are flushed with red under cool temperatures and crimson red flowers, ‘Dragon's Blood’ (syn. Schorbuster Blut') differs in having medium green leaves to green with red margins and red flowers, ‘Elizabeth’ differs in having variable green or maroon leaves and pink flowers, ‘Fuldaglut’ differs in having green and maroon leaves and rosy red flowers, ‘John Creech’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Red Carpet’ differs in having red leaves and pink flowers, ‘Roseum’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Royal Pink’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Summer Glory’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, and ‘Tricolor’ differs in having leaves that are green with white edges and pink flowers.

‘Nonef’ can also be compared to other cultivars that arose as a whole plant mutation of ‘Voo Doo’; ‘Nonol’, ‘Nonia’ and ‘Nonio’. ‘Nonol’ differs from ‘Nonef’ in having foliage that is green in color with red margins, in being shorter in height, and in having flowers that are lighter pink in color. ‘Nonia’ differs from ‘Nonef’ in having foliage that emerges with green centers that mature to gray-green centers and in having a maroon color that is suffused into the leaf blade, in having flower buds that are more pink in color, and in being slightly shorter in height. ‘Nonio’ differs from ‘Nonef’ in having foliage that matures to gray-green centers, in having flower buds that are more purple in color, and in being slightly shorter in height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Sedum. The photographs were taken in May (non-flowering) and July (flowering) of 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonef’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the foliage of ‘Nonef’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of the flowers of ‘Nonef’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a top prospective and illustrates the plant habit of ‘Nonef’. The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Sedum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observed on 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonef’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—The last two to three weeks of June to the             first or second week of July in Michigan.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, dense, low growing habit,             mature plant sprawl from central crown with procumbent stems             rooting as they contact the ground.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 4 inches in height             (foliage) and about 6 inches in height in bloom, maximum             spread in about 2 feet.         -   Hardiness.—Reliable hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4B to 7B.         -   Disease and pest.—No susceptibility or resistance to common             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and also readily produced at stem             nodes.         -   Propagation.—Stem cutting spring through summer and crown             division throughout the year.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem size.—4 to 5 inches in length and about 1/16 to ⅛ inch             in width.         -   Internode length.—Ranges from ¾ to 1¼ inches.         -   Stem color.—194C.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.         -   Branching habit.—Well-branched. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obovate to oblanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Not conspicuous, color matched leaf color.         -   Leaf margins.—Crenate to serrated with apex of young leaves             papilose-ciliate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf presence and orientation.—Emerge upright becoming             nearly horizontal.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and waxy on upper and lower surface.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves, upper and lower surface; 138C             suffused with 187A towards apex with margins 187A, mature             foliage upper and lower surface; 138C with margins 183C.         -   Leaf size.—Young leaves; an average of ½ to ⅝ inch length             and 7/16 to ½ inch in width, mature leaves; an average of 1¼             inches in length and 1 inch in width.         -   Petioles.—⅛ in length, 1/16 in width, 138A in color, surface             is glabrous. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Dense, flat-headed cymes with 4 forked             branches.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2½ inches in width and             depth.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one month.         -   Flower type.—Perfect, spreading, 5-starred.         -   Flower number.—40 to 50 flowers per cyme.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower buds.—Conical in shape, about ⅜ inch in length and             3/16 inch in diameter, ribbed surface, 194C with margins of             sepal portion suffused with 184C and apex (petal portion)             primarily 63C in color.         -   Flower size.—About ¼ inch in length and ⅜ inch in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Round, range from 1½ inch to 2 inches in length,             ⅛ inch in width, 194B in color, glabrous surface.         -   Pedicels.—Round, range from ⅜ inch to 1 inch in length, 1/16             inch in width, 194B in color, glabrous surface.         -   Sepals.—5, spreading, ovate to lanceolate in shape, about ⅜             inch in length and ⅛ inch in width, color 194C with margins             of sepal portion suffused with 184C on both surfaces, entire             margin, acute apex, truncate base, glabrous surface on both             surfaces.         -   Petals.—5, spreading, lanceolate in shape, truncate base,             acute apex, entire margin, color of inner and outer surfaces             is 63C, glabrous surfaces on both surfaces. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—5, held erect, about ⅜ inch in length, stigma 1/32             inch in width and 63B in color, styles ¼ inch in length and             63B in color, ovary 1/10 inch in diameter and 63B in color.         -   Stamens.—10, about ⅜ inch in length, filament 63C in color,             anther 155A in color, pollen is sparse in quantity and N57A             in color.         -   Fruit.—Rounded with pointed tip, aggregate, range from 1/16             inch to ⅛ inch in length and ¼ inch in width, 62A in color,             seed production was not observed. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Sedum plant named ‘Nonef’ as described and illustrated herein. 